Turkey: Mothers' sit-in against YPG/PKK marks 200th day

DIYARBAKIR, Turkey

A sit-in protest by dozens of families in southeastern Turkey against YPG/PKK terrorists marked its 200th day on Friday.

On Aug. 22, Hacire Akar, a Kurdish mother, staged a protest near the HDP's office in Diyarbakir province, claiming that the terror group and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) had brainwashed and taken her 21-year-old. Her son returned home four days later, giving hope to other families with the same plight.

Since then, the number of protesting mothers has been steadily growing -- now at 125 -- as they demand the return of their children, who, they say, were deceived or kidnapped by the YPG/PKK outside the Diyarbakir office of the HDP.

The party is accused by the government of having links to the YPG/PKK terror group.

Huge support for families

The anguished mothers have been visited by many people, including politicians, bureaucrats, artists, musicians, authors, athletes and non-governmental bodies.

European Parliament Member Tomas Zdechovsky was also among those in support of the families' protest, visiting them last November.

Ambassadors from nine countries also visited the mothers in a show of support, including Indian envoy Sanjay Bhattacharyya, Ukraine's Andrii Sybiha and the U.K.'s Dominick John Chilcott.

Members of the Mothers of Srebrenica Association, a group representing women who lost family members during the 1995 Srebrenica genocide, also showed their support.

Many journalists from various media outlets spoke to the families and listened to and covered their demands and grief.

Protest to continue until they reunite

Two hundred days into the protest, thirteen families have so far been reunited with their children, providing hope for 125 others continuing on with the hope of their own children's return.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Guzide Demir, whose son, Aziz, was kidnapped four years ago at the age of 16, said: "Aziz come home, I miss you. My son, Aziz, your brothers are waiting for you to come."

Demir said she would continue the sit-in until she was back together with her son.

Ekrem Gokkus joined the protests in the eastern province of Bitlis, some 200 kilometers (127 miles) from Diyarbakir.

Gokkus said he had suffered greatly for five years since his son Okan was kidnapped. "We're always awaiting his arrival," he said.

"The HDP claims they defend the Kurds. No! They don't defend the Kurds. This is not a Kurdish cause. We want our children from the HDP. The parties' youth branch deceived our children and kidnapped them." said father Gokkus.

*Writing by Burak Dag in Ankara